Barcelona’s gorgeous Sagrada Familia was brought to life last month with a surreal light show by Moment Factory called Ode a la Vie,. The unfinished grand basilica was designed by Antoni Gaudi and has been under construction for over 100 years. Inspired by Gaudi’s wish to see it in blooming hues once completed, Moment Factory created a site specific projection that wowed crowds as it brought the façade to life with movement and color.

Moment Factory’s glowing installation was part of La Mercè Festival, a collaboration between the cities of Barcelona and Montreal. The Quebecois company specializes in transforming urban spaces into innovative works of art, using light and technology. Their open-air installations enliven historic architecture with colorful Surrealist illusions that move and morph from one to the next.

The Nativity façade of Sagrada Familia is intricately carved with religious figures and animals, and was initially intended to be polychromed in its entirety – creating a myriad of colors to delight viewers. Inspired by his wishes, Moment Factory created a 15 minute multimedia show with swirling rainbow visuals using video mapping techniques and the X-Agora playback system.

Viewers gasped in delight as clouds moved across the façade, waterfalls appeared, flowers bloomed and blew away, and peacock feathers covered everything. Optical illusions made the detailed carvings appear as if they were morphing and boiling — all this accomplished with just changing of the light.

Moment Factory’s incredible installation ran from just September 21st-23rd.